26 October 2007 | Algiers, Algeria

On behalf of HE Dr Chakib Khalil, Minister of Energy and Mines of Algeria, Mr. Abdelkader El-Mekki, General Director for Energy, underlined Algeria's support to the International Energy Forum (IEF) and the Joint Oil Data Initiative (JODI) when inaugurating on October 23 a regional training workshop for oil statisticians from Middle Eastern and North African countries organised by the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the IEF Secretariat and partner organisations in Algiers (23-26 October).

"By holding this seminar in Algiers, the Ministry of Energy and Mines makes a contribution to the capacity building of the concerned institutions in the field of data collection, processing and dissemination, as well as regarding data transparency in the vital sectors of the economies of Middle East and North Africa, that are those of oil and energy", Mr. El-Mekki said. "Regarding JODI, Algeria contributes in an effective and sustained way to the establishment of the monthly statistics that the Secretariat of the International Energy Forum publishes" he added.

Dr Said Nachet, IEF's Energy Director, underlined the support of JODI expressed by International Energy Forum Ministers on repeated occasions and the importance of transparency and exchange of data for market predictability and for the investments required to enhance energy security. Dr Nachet thanked Algeria for its active role in the Executive Board of the IEF Secretariat and contribution to the preparation of the next IEF Ministerial, which Italy will host in April 2008.

He also expressed thanks to the Government of Norway for providing financial assistance to IEF Secretariat's efforts to promote JODI among developing countries.

The training workshop is part of the IEF Secretariat's efforts to promote JODI and improve the quality of oil market data. Expert speakers from IEF Secretariat, IEA, OPEC, UNSD and IMF are addressing 37 officials from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. JODI is a concrete outcome of the producer-consumer dialogue. Algeria and more than 90 other countries, accounting for more than 90 % of global oil production and demand are now providing national oil data to JODI. It is co-ordinated by the IEF Secretariat with the active support of APEC, EU, IEA, OLADE, OPEC and the UN.

In his closing remarks, the Secretary General of the Algerian Ministry of Energy and Mines, Mr Faiçal Abbas, on behalf of HE Minister Khelil, praised the organisers and thanked the speakers and their organisations for their valuable contribution to the success of the 3rd edition of regional workshops aiming to improve data quality and expand countries' participation in this unique initiative.